In 2003, Barbara Newstrom was injured in Iraq while serving with the Army Reserve. For the past four years, her service dog, Brandy, has been her constant companion.
Newstrom and Brandy, a Labrador retriever, were walking into the Chillicothe Walmart Sept. 4 when two leashed dogs allegedly attacked.
A pit bull reportedly had Brandy by the throat.
Newstrom's boyfriend, Daniel Sickels, was able to grab and throw the second dog, an American bulldog, across the parking lot before it could attack.
Newstrom was able to get into Walmart's entrance as the dogs' owner, Thomas Stark, 58, of Chillicothe, gained control of the dogs.
Stark left the scene with his dogs, but Sickels was able to get his license-plate number and a description of the vehicle.
[Nice. Your dogs attack someone and you simply load them up and drive off. Ladies and gentlemen, here's a real man. NOT.]
Chillicothe police identified Stark by the license number and surveillance video the store provided.
Stark told police he did not have control of the leashes on his dogs because he did not think they were vicious.
Police charged Stark with failure to keep a pit bull on a chain leash, failure to control the animals and assaulting an assistance dog, all misdemeanors. -- how about leaving the scene of a crime with the evidence????
Newstrom said the attack caused her to have nightmares but she is thankful Brandy wasn't seriously injured.
Stark will be arraigned Oct. 21 on all the charges.
(NBC4 - October 17, 2011)
